KITTITAS COUNTY, Wash. — Two men are lucky to be alive after their truck fell 400 feet down an embankment on Stampede Pass Road near the King County border.
On Nov. 7 around 9 a.m., the driver of a pick-up truck called 911 to report that he had lost control of the vehicle and swerved into a pothole. The truck got caught on the soft gravel and fell 400 feet down a steep embankment.
The truck hit a large tree and flipped on its side, ejecting both the driver and the passenger out of the vehicle. Kittitas County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO) deputies arrived on scene and contacted Snoqualmie Pass Fire & Rescue (SPFR), Kittitas County Search and Rescue, Seattle Mountain Rescue and the KVFR High Angle Rescue team for additional help.
As deputies approached the men, the driver was able to walk but was injured. The passenger was immobile after being thrown about 20 feet from the vehicle, sustaining head, shoulder and other injuries. It was a cold morning causing both men to be threatened with hypothermia.
SPFR lowered an EMT and supplies to provide immediate care to the passenger. The driver safely climbed up the road to receive help from KSAR personnel.
Both men have been transported to the hospital to be treated for their injuries. KCSO deputies described this as a “challenging operation in remote and difficult conditions.”
